South Africa Trade Hits Bump

JOHANNESBURG—South Africa joined a club called BRICS a few years ago to tighten ties with the world's largest emerging markets. Today, the embrace from outsize competitors in the club, particularly China, is suffocating South African manufacturers, executives say.

"Manufacturers need economies of scale, and we don't have that," said Stewart Jennings, chief executive of South African glassmaker PG Group Ltd. and chairman of...